Adventure of Sinbad: Night 2
Guards approach a dark figure at the edge of a craggy cliff. The figure wonders aloud if this is his end. As the guards close in on him, the figure makes the decision to jump. The guards call out to him, but it's too late. He splashes into rocky water below. The sun shines brightly overhead as Esra calls out to Sinbad, wondering where he has gone. He runs toward her from behind, arms outstretched. Face radiant, she reaches out to him. Five-year-old Sinbad and his mother embrace, wide smiles on both of their faces. Esra welcomes him back, asking where he went today, and he responds that he went to the well. Esra gives a skeptical smile as he proclaims that since he is no longer a child, he can go anywhere he wants. In response, she assigns him the chore to bring Badr his forgotten lunch. At the dock, Badr stares into the distance with a large haul of fish. His stomach rumbles, and he is considering eating the fish raw when Sinbad comes bounding up with his lunch. Badr laughs goodnaturedly, thanking his son for his timely arrival. Scolding his father for being absentminded, Sinbad chomps on a piece of bread. Sinbad notices a net tied to a post in the water and asks his father if he will be fishing more today. Badr replies that he will be going out on the boat. Sinbad demands to come. Explaining that he's no longer a kid, Sinbad says he should be allowed on the boat with Badr. He is determined to come along. Badr reaches toward his son, and Sinbad believes for a moment that his speech has worked. However, Badr merely pats Sinbad on the head and tells him, "no way." Offended by this rejection, Sinbad argues with his father, ultimately calling him stupid. Then, he breaks into tears and admits he wants to help because his father only has one leg. Badr smiles sadly and assures Sinbad that the loss of his leg was his own fault for not being strong enough and that it acts as a reminder that he is still alive. He then tells Sinbad that when he is older and a lot bigger, he will take him out as much as he likes. Sinbad cheers up and agrees when Badr tells him to relax while he can. Meanwhile, a group of onlookers from the village eye the pair with disgust. The leader asks if Badr is fishing. Badr asks if something is wrong with him fishing there, and the group scolds him for not participating more in the war effort. As they chant "expatriot," the narration explains that the term has become a slur for people who cannot participate in the war. When the Kingdom of Parthevia renamed itself Parthevia Empire, they had just been victorious in a great war. However, once war broke out with Reim, the Parthevians began to run low on resources. The empire fell into hard economic times and imposed high taxes on its people. Soon, the people had few resources left for themselves. In the vacuum rose the idea that they must win the war and all costs so that the hard times will be over. For this reason, they cannot forgive someone like Badr who does not participate in the war effort. One man punches Badr in the face, claiming Badr hasn't sacrificed anything for the war. He uses the fact that Badr kept his ship instead of donating it to the government as an example of Badr's selfishness. Sinbad clings to his father's robe as the villagers look down on Badr. Faced with this situation, Badr breaks out into laughter. The lead villager asks him why he is laughing, and Badr responds that they're only villagers and it's funny that they care so much about the war. Badr confesses he has no interest in the affairs of the country and lists daily things that he does care about. He then says he pities them. This response angers the group. They leave him unconscious and battered, and Sinbad tries to wake him up. When Badr opens his eyes, his first concern is that Esra will be angry if she realizes that he let the lunch get ruined. Next, he asks Sinbad if he is okay and tries to eat the sandy bread. Sinbad is dismayed by his calm reaction. He demands to know why Badr didn't fight back. Badr reminds Sinbad that he only has one leg, and Sinbad isn't satisfied. He calls his father "uncool," but Badr smiles patiently back at him. Finally, Sinbad turns and runs away. Badr watches Sinbad go passively then turns his attention to his broken ship with a sad smile. That night at home, Badr, Esra, and Sinbad sit around a pot eating dinner. Esra looks on with concern as Sinbad pouts. When she asks what's wrong, he turns his head away, denying that anything's wrong. Badr asks Sinbad if he's still angry, and Sinbad denies it. He hands his full bowl to his mother and begins to walk away. Badr calls out after him that they need more water, teasing Sinbad about being a kid. In response, Sinbad storms out with the jug, claiming that, unlike his father, he is a proper man. Badr laughs as Esra looks on worried. She scolds her husband for teasing their son, but Badr dismisses it. Trembling, Esra accuses Badr of being the reason Sinbad is so insecure. She reminds him that their son has to see him treated as an outcast and asks if Badr is really okay with things the way they are. Badr laughs it off, reminding Esra that he doesn't care what the villagers think. She snaps that it's no longer just Badr's problem. She reminds him that the way they live isn't sustainable in the long term. Badr nods and asks what she wants him to do. Esra gladly takes his hand, suggesting that he cooperate with the war effort. Badr responds that it's impossible to do that because, now that his ship is broken, he can no longer give it away. As he explains how the ship was broken, Esra becomes visibly disturbed until she swoons. Sinbad walks in on his father trying to revive his shocked mother. He has a grave expression on his face. When Badr compliments him on his manliness and he doesn't respond, Badr prompts him again. Finally, Sinbad sets the water jug down and says there's something he'd like to show his father. The next day, someone opens his eyes to whispers. A woman is insisting that they send him away while a child suggests changing the bandages. The man's vision clears and he sees Sinbad, Badr, and Esra hovering over him. He sits up, and Sinbad clings to him. As the man orients himself, Badr explains that Sinbad found him by the well. The man moves suddenly, frightening Esra and Badr. Crying joyful tears, he takes Sinbad's hands and thanks him for saving his life.